Electrical attachment device



May 17, 1938. J. G. NESS ELECTRICAL ATTACHMENT DEVICE Filed July 6, 1931 6mm 60, mom.

Patented May 17, 1938 UNITED STATES ELECTRICAL ATTACHMENT DEVICE James Gordon Ness, East Point, 6a., assignor to H. R. ,Van Deventer, New York, N. Y.

Application July 6, 1931, Serial No. 549,028

11 Claims.

My present invention has reference toa conduit. for electric conductors, and my object is the provision of a device for this purpose which may be arranged either between the base board and I molding of a room, or in anyother suitable place in such room, and which is of such construction that an electric appliance may be plugged in at any desired part of the conduit so that the cur-' rent conducted through the conduit,. from the house supply, may be introduced into such appliance.

A further and important object of the invention is the provision of a conduit for an electric current which shall be of a simple and attractive construction and which while permitting the fingers of a plug being inserted therein at any desired point for conducting the current from the conduit to an electric appliance is safe from short circuit or from accidental contact with the conductors therein.

To the attainment of the foregoing the invention consists in the improvement hereinafter denected with the binding posts on the spring conductors in the conduits.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the conduit.

Figure 5 is a sectional view to illustrate the manner in which the confronting ends of the conduits are electrically connected.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the coupling member disclosed by Figure 5.

Figure '7 is a similar view of the clamp for the conduit disclosed by Figure 5 of the drawing.

In Figure 1 of the drawirg I have illustrated my improvement arranged between the base board I and the molding 2 in the room of an ordinary dwelling. Obviously I do not wish to be restricted to the use or application of my device in this particular connection as the same may be successfully attached to any part of a wall of a room.

In the said showing the conduit 3 is of insulating material, and I screw or otherwise attach to the wall 4 of the room, at desired intervals, the

back of a substantially U-shaped clamping or gripping element 5. The parallel and outstanding arms 6 of the member 5 have their lower edges formed with flanges I, directed at inward angles with respect to' the bottom and to the back 5 of the said member 5, and these spring gripping members are designed to engage with the outer upper and lower beveled faces 8 of .the conduit 3. From the beveled surfaces 8 of the conduit, the same is centrally formed with a straight base 9 10 and secured to the said inwardly directed beveled portions 8 there are strips of rubber or like material which are indicated by the numeral I0 and which strips have their inner edges contacting with the opposed horizontal walls I2 provided between the beveled surfaces 8 and the straight face 9. The shoulders I2 are provided, at the respective upper and lower walls of longitudinally extending slots or depressions I3, respectively, and in these walls there are embedded the rounded ends I4 of arched spring members I5, the said springs being received in angle grooves or depressions I6 provided upon the opposed walls afforded by the slots I3 in the central portion 9 of the improvement.

The rounded ends of the metal strips have screwed or otherwise fixed thereon binding posts I6 to which are connected conductors I'I that are connected to the electric source of supply for the dwelling. When the conductors have their ends arranged in spaced relation,,as disclosed by Figure 2 of the drawing, the ends of the said 'conductors are received in the ends of the longitudinal branch I8 of a casing I9, and the conductors I! are received through the sheathings 20 connected to the opposed sides of the vertical branch 2I of the hollow substantially T-shaped casing 22. When the conductors are arranged at angles with respect to each other a substantially L- shaped casing 23 is provided and the ends of the respective conduits are received in the angle branches of the said casing. In this instance the rounded ends I4 of the metal spring conductor members are each provided with binding posts to which are connected the flexible conductors II. When the meeting ends of the conduits are in alinement as disclosed by Figure 5 of the drawing a straight and box-like casing 25 is arranged over the confronting ends of the said conduits but the confronting ends of the conduits are spaced from each other and the rounded portions I 4 thereof receive therein metal rods 26 which are centrally provided with stop elements in the nature of enlargements 21. In this manner it will be noted that the conduits when or deter- .mined lengths may be readily connected and it will be also noted that the electric conductors may be attached to the house current and arranged at angles with respect to each other. Ob-

36 may be readily inserted in the slots so thatthe said fingers will contact with the arched spring ends i5 of the metal conductors. The plug has its wires connected with an electrical appliance and the plug may be inserted in the contact at any point throughout the length ofthe said contact,'so that the appliance may be electrically operated at different convenient positions in the room;

It is believed the foregoing description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing will fully and clearly set forth the construction and advantages of my improved device to those skilled in the art to which such invention relates so that further detailed description" will not be required. Obviously I do not wish to be restricted to the specific structure herein shown and described and, therefore, hold myself entitled to make such changes therefromias, fairly fall within the scope of what I claim.

For instance, the conduit may be provided with any number of pairs of and conductors, and. the conductors need not be in the nature of spring members but may be in the nature of copper or like tubes which is especially desirable for very heavy electrical loads.

Having described the invention, I claim;

1. A conduit for electric conductors, comprising a strip of insulating material, having restricted longitudinally arranged slots entering from its outer face, spring conductors in said slots and the outer face of the said conduit, from the corners thereof, being beveled inwardly and flexible protectors fixed on said beveled portions for closing the slots. I

2. A continuous outlet receptacle comprising an insulating body embodying slots spaced apart for receiving the prongs of an outlet plug, conductor elements disposed in said slots to engage the prongs of said plug when inserted in connecting position in the receptacle, and insulating means disposed to close the entrance of the slots,

said means being yieldable to permit the prongs of the outlet plug to be inserted in connecting position in the slots.

3. A base, molding comprising a strip of insulating material, two longitudinally extending spaced conductors imbedded therein, said strip embodying spaced slots providing openings to theconductors for admitting the prongs of an ordinary plug'connector to make contact with the conductors at any point along the slots, and insulating means disposed to close the entrance of said slots, said means being yleldable to permit the plug prongs to be forced by the same into connecting position.

4. In an electric circuit molding, the combination of an elongated non-conducting casing having. a slot therein, a conductor in said slot, and dlsplaceable means yieldably disposed for closing said slot whereby said element is enclosed in said casing and access thereto is permitted by the insertion of a plug contact.

5. In an eiectric'circuit molding, the combination of an elongated non-conducting casing having' a slot therein, a conductor in said slot, displaceable means for closing said slot whereby said element is enclosed in said casing, and a branch circuit employing a plug having a contact blade adapted'to displace said means, enter said slot and contact said conductor.

6. In an electric circuit molding, the combination of an elongated non-conducting casing having a slot with a deformable edge adapted to normallyclose said slot, a conductor in said slot, and means adapted to deform said edge, enter said slot and connect with said conductor.

7. In an electric circuit molding, the combination of an elongated non-conducting casing having a slot'therein, a conductor in said slot, and displaceable means located in the face portion of said casing and coextensive with said slot for concealing the entrance to said slot, whereby a foreign element may not be accidently inserted in said slot.

8. In an electric circuit molding, the combination of an,elongatednon-conducting casing having a slot therein, a conductor in said slot, and displaceable means located in the face portion of. said casing and projected over the entrance to said slot from one side thereof.

9. An electric circuit molding comprising in combination, an elongated casing having a slotted opening therein, a conductor located in said slot. yieldable means located in the face portion of said casing for closing the entrance to said slot, and a yieldable support for embracing the casing.

10. An electric circuit molding comprising in combination, an elongated casing having a slotted opening therein, a conductor located in said slot. yieldable means included in the face portion of said casing for closing the entrance to said slot, and a support including yleldable means for embracing the casing and the slot closing means.

11. In an electrical connector, the combination of a non conducting casing of insulation material having a slot therein, a conductor located in said casing and adjacent to said slot, and resilient deformable means included in the front portion of said casing for normally closing the slot whereby the conductor is enclosed in said casing.

JAMES GORDON NESS. 

